Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, has advised students to desist from drug abuse, especially the usage of hard drugs as it tends to derail their bright plans.
The minister after cautioning students against stereotypes by some bad friends that smoking and using other hard drugs would make them smarter academically, emphasized that relying on such illicit drugs, as students, would rather destroy their academic future and render them burdens to their parents, as well as the society.
He said the use of illicit drugs had negative effects on one’s brain, which impairs the judgment of the user making them take dangerous decisions that affect their relationship with others.
“Do not allow anyone to deceive you, students who relied on narcotic drugs performed abysmally at school, and had extreme difficulty in overcoming the problem of drug abuse. It is important to understand and acquire knowledge on what drugs were, the types, and what they could do to the human brain and body before taking,” he said.
The Regional Minister advised at a seminar organised for the students by the Perfector of Sentiments (POS) Foundation, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to human rights, in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
The seminar was on the theme: “Prevention of the use of illicit drugs; the youth, our future”, and was attended by students and their tutors.
The use of illicit drugs, Mr. Acheampong noted, could not be the panacea to problems. Instead, they create new problems for the user, leading to long-term physical, mental, and emotional damage.
The Acting Deputy Eastern Regional Officer of the Narcotics Control Commission, Millicent Badu, said a drug-free school would always be the preferred choice for every parent, irrespective of geographical location.
She pointed out that a school that had a good public image would enjoy an increase in enrolment and a serene academic environment for both teachers and students to be safe. Adding that it was sad to get to a crime scene where a young person lost their life due to drug overdose, violence, and accidents.
According to her, it was against that backdrop that stakeholders had to protect the country’s future leaders from the harmful effects of drugs, adding that posterity would judge Ghanaians if they failed to effectively deal with the problem.
Narcotic drugs
The Minister enlightened the students on narcotic drugs, which he stated were chemical substances used in the prevention, cure, or alleviation of diseases or pain. Such drugs, he also intimated, were used in some diagnostic procedures and were classified as hard or soft, uppers or downers, addictive or non-addictive, and most harmful or least harmful.
He also said such drugs were used medically to treat illness and diseases to relieve pain, anxiety, and stress.
Campaign
Mrs. Badu, therefore, indicated that the organisation of the seminar had been at the appropriate period and that her outfit was delighted to be part of the campaign to prevent the use of illicit drugs among the youth.
The Executive Director of the POS Foundation, Jonathan Osei Owusu, advised the students to stay away from alcohol since it could land them in jail.
According to him, many people were being sentenced to the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons due to drugs and other substance abuse.
Peer group
The Eastern Regional Education Director, Ivy Asantewa Owusu, advised the students to shun negative peer group influence and say no to narcotic drugs or any harmful substances.
She, therefore, urged them not to disappoint their tutors, as well as their parents and guardians, so that they would achieve their future dreams of becoming responsible citizens of the country.
